Ghost in the Shell: Illumination
by Grimm-for-Life
Summary: It's all a matter of matter over mind."-Matoko Kusanagi
Primary Character: Togusa

Based on the original Manga.





	Ghost in the Shell: Illumination

"As you can clearly see, attempts at creating a peaceful trade embargo with the Free Republic of Kibeth have proved fruitless. They will not allow our vessels to enter their waters due to their standard military escorts, and yet without such escorts we are sending our ships into what could be a terrorist ambush." The House Leader's voice was a low and steady monotone, similar to that of a schoolteacher used to explaining difficult concepts to wayward children.

It was met with a flurry of chatter as the Senators muttered agreements amongst themselves and translators spoke out in the 52 different represented languages.

"Have the military ships escort them as far as the border waters and then keep open connections with the merchant vessels. If the need should arise they can then take appropriate action."

"But why go to the trouble? What has Kibeth got to hide?"

"They claim democracy but I don't think they've let go of their dictatorship quite yet. It's taken them quite some time to come into the League of Nations. Even now negotiations are still underway. Intelligence speaks of a separatist state forming around what remains of the old dictatorship, trying to rely on a system not unlike that of—"

But the words were cut short, replaced by a crimson blossom of blood that flew from the Senator's throat, splattering those near by as it turned into a rushing fount. Police rushed towards the sniper's position, surprised to find themselves face to face with the senator of North Aesa who turned the gun on himself and calmly fired a bullet directly into his left temple.

'And that's all that Intelligence was able to give us. The rest, as you can assume is just a bunch of massive chaos." Aramaki calmly folded his hands on the table in front of him as the holographic video dissolved into little more than a line and a blip.

'The Senator that was killed was Djiin Ubaar Senator for Minas which used to under Kibeth rule until about ten years ago when it was declared a Free Nation under the National Code and Kibeth was forced to give up its rule over it as a territory." Ishikawa informed them all, bringing up the bio of the man in question. The image cast a pale gold glow over the faces surrounding the table, reflecting earily off the lenses of Batou's eyes, accentuating the hollows of Togusa's cheeks, making the young cop look older.

"Do you suspect he is a separatist supporter?" Togusa asked.

"Not likely. So far Ubaar has been the one voicing movements to back a military investigation of Kibeth to root out possible terrorist groups that are suspected to have formed there." Ishikawa continued, pulling up more files to prove his point.

"That could just be a smoke screen. An act," Togusa tried, withering under a stare from Batou.

"We've tracked his records down. Commander General in the Minas Freedom Fighters he declined a political title in his country preferring take the needs of his country into the democratic arena. He is responsible for setting up Minas as a registered Free Nation under the League. No criminal history. He looks honestly clean. A hero for the people." Ishikawa finished, sitting back in his chair, his job as information guru done.

"I could see why someone from Kibeth might want him out of the picture…" Batou rumbled.

"But the Senator who fired was from North Aesa. Ishiin Shimbo. 64 years old, former ties to the Thrashing Dragon yakuza clan. Though I doubt this was a turf hit. It proves nothing in the political arena. Thus far the Thrashing Dragons have kept low profile, operating in small arms and narcotics here in Aesa," interjected Ishikawa clicking another button to change the screen to show yet another profile.

"Maybe they've expanded, opened up trade with Kibeth," Togusa tried again.

" It's too messy, and too easy and explaination. That's what we're expected to think. Senator with former yakuza ties kills the political resistance mouthpiece so that he can continue free trade with Kibeth and keep greasing his own palms," Batou laid out the scenario in his slow methodical bass voice that sent chills down Togusa's spine.

"Well…"

"I don't think it's that simple." Batou never thought anything was that simple. Not since working with the major. None of the cases they'd worked on since her reign in Section 9 had ever been simple.

"At any rate," interceded Aramaki, saving Togusa from sinking to far into his own self depreciating thoughts. "Section 9 has been given this case. Local police are running with the scenario Batou just set out. They assume this was simply more or less a turf hit. But I agree with Batou. I don't think it was that simple."

"What doesn't add up is why the Shimbo would choose that arena, open fire in public and then turn the gun on himself," said Ishikawa, mulling over the files as they ran over the holoprojector. "His connections with the mafia are over 30 years old and he's been a Senator for 15 of those 30 and during that time there has been no record of yakuza linked activity at all. Actually the palette is relatively dull."

"I suggest this. Togusa, look at the tape again and see if you can glean anything from it, anything we missed. Ishikawa, see if you can tap into the private transaction files of both Shimbo and Ubaar. Batou, go to the Morgue where they are keeping the remains of Shimbo, ask for a brain scan and get the coroner's report. If possible bring the brain back here for analysis."

All three orders were met with a sharp "Yessah!"

There was nothing there. Togusa must have watched the video somewhere upwards of 80 times and he still had no explanation for Shimbo's sniper attack. He rested his head in his hand, letting it tilt slightly to the side. Thin wires trailed from the back of his neck to the computer drive, making the video link up sharply clear through the filter of his e-memory, heightening his perception. Slow motions, frame by frame, zoom in; he had watched it all and come away with nothing.

He played it back with a kind of boredom in frame-by-frame mode, keeping the camera angle on Shimbo, watching him carefully. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. And then for a split second, a black clad figure standing beside Shimbo, hand on his left ear. It was so quick, in and out of the frame in less than a second. He wasn't sure he'd even seen it. He rewound the tape and froze on that frame.

That look those eyes. There was no mistaking. Her. If Batou was to be believed in his description of her before she had disappeared.

"It's simply a matter of matter over mind." It was as if she were standing next to him, her voice a soft caress in the seashell of his ear.

He turned his head to correct her misquote. "It's mind over…matter…,Major."

He stared back at the screen, but the figure was gone and no matter how many times he re-watched the frame she did not reappear. Ripping the connection wires from his head, he pushed himself back from his desk, fearing himself delusional, a victim of a hack, an illusion meant to confuse him. The kanji of her words burned in the forefront of his e-memory, persistent and cryptic in their backward meaning. "Matter over mind…"

Bowing his head to hold it in both hands he let a shudder run through him starting at the base of his spine and running upwards, forward out his ribs and into his arms. "Major…"


End file.
